OSU men’s track: J.D. Martin Invitational
This weekend
Oklahoma State’s men’s track team will travel to Norman, Oklahoma on Saturday, Feb. 2 to compete in the J.D. Martin Invitational hosted by the University of Oklahoma at the Mosier Indoor Track facility.
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Cowgirls on TV
Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball game on Saturday at Colorado will be carried by FSN Southwest it has been announced.The game, which was already slated to be televised on FSN Rocky Mountain, is scheduled for a 7 p.m. (CST) start and will air live in Oklahoma . The Cowgirls (16-3 overall, 4-2 Big 12) will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak, while the Buffaloes (13-7, 2-5) have lost their last two games as well after Wednesday night’s loss at Iowa State.
The contest will mark the third FSN telecast for the Cowgirls this season.
Wrestling: OSU vs. Minnesota
When: 1 p.m., Sunday
Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater
Video and audio coverage: www.okstate.com
The Basics
The No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling team (12-2-1 overall) hosts fourth-ranked Minnesota (11-3 overall) at 1 p.m. Sunday in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
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Saturday’s starting lineup …
By Andrea Cohen
For the first time this season, Oklahoma State’s starting lineup was Ibrahima Thomas, Marcus Dove, James Anderson, Byron Eaton and Obi Muonelo. It was the first time this year that Muonelo and Eaton started the same game, because Muonelo’s previous starts occurred when Eaton wasn’t starting at the point.
Anyway, it appears to be permanent, for now. Sitting at practice on Wednesday, the black team (starting five) is the same as Saturday’s starting lineup. Muonelo, after all, performed extremely well in Bedlam, scoring a team-high 25 points. It appears to have earned him a starting spot, and Terrel Harris finds himself on the orange team.
Radical Bedlam football ticket decision
By Mike Baldwin
Staff Writer
The announcement on Tuesday that OSU will require fans to purchase a season ticket if they want to attend the Bedlam game on Nov. 29 will certainly cause a stir. OU fans will be ticked off. Even some OSU fans aren’t keen on the idea. But many OSU fans embrace the fact Sooner fans will have to pay a lot of money if they want to be at Boone Pickens Stadium Thanksgiving weekend.
I think it’s a stroke of genuis. As Iowa State proved last year, which did something similar for its home game with Iowa, it should boost OSU’s season ticket sales. I’ll be stunned if OSU doesn’t sell at least 40,000 season tickets for the first time in school history. They might even sell 45,000.
The plan is to get more OSU fans on board. If fans look at it closely they’re basically getting season tickets for half price based on the $60 (non conference) and $85 (conference) price tag for individual games. Tuned in fans could purchase season tickets, sell a few tickets to two or three games they don’t want to attend and get the Bedlam game and three others at a greatly reduced price.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see some OU fans take that same strategy. Fans who purchase $294 end zone season tickets or $419 season tickets will seem like a bargain by the time Bedlam becomes a very hot ticket in November.
OSU’s unusual season ticket strategy should produce a lot more overall revenue and increase the season ticket fan base. OSU officials could even use the Bedlam game as an opportunity to create some good P.R. Regardless how many tickets are left, if Mike Holder, Boone Pickens or another big-money donor purchased whatever Bedlam tickets were left over in early November — even if it’s 15,000 tickets — if someone purchased those tickets a week or two before Bedlam and donated the tickets to military veterans, kids’ clubs or other charity groups, the stadium would be full and OSU has gained some P.R. kudos as well.
Info on season tickets
OSU Launches 2008 Football Season Ticket and Donor Seating Campaign
Pricing Same as 2007; Home Schedule Includes Seven Games
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State University Department of Athletics will launch its 2008 football season ticket renewal campaign on Feb. 1. In 2008, OSU will be seeking an unprecedented sixth bowl appearance in seven years. The Cowboys’ victory over Indiana in the 2007 Insight Bowl marked the first time since the 1987 and 1988 seasons the Cowboys have won bowl games in consecutive seasons.
In 2008, OSU will face seven home opponents including Big 12 South rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M and rematches against Houston and Troy in
Stillwater. The seven home games represent the most for the Cowboys since 2003.
The 2008 season marks the historic expansion of Boone Pickens Stadium to 60,000 seats. New locker rooms, training facilities, coaches’ offices and other state-of-the-art facilities should be ready for the 2009 season.
Season ticket prices are set for $419 for the general-public with the only difference in price over last year coming as a result of adding a seventh home game. Donor seating prices will remain unchanged for 2008 with donor information available in late February.
“OSU football continues to make strides in building a consistently competitive program. We have every reason to believe 2008 will be another exciting year for Cowboy football with the very real possibility of making another bowl,” said OSU athletic director Mike Holder. “With the momentum we have coming off last year’s winning season plus the addition of 16,000 new seats in the west end zone, we believe the decision to hold prices for 2008 is the right one. The new seats will give us opportunities to expand our fan base through new promotions and generate new revenue to support the entire athletic program.”
The west end zone will be the home to OSU’s expanded Family Fun Zone in 2008, where four season tickets are available for $980. Faculty and staff can obtain tickets for $336. For new grads (within five years of graduation date) season tickets are available for $245.
“We strive for balance between affordability, value and revenue considerations when it comes to setting ticket and donor seating prices,” commented Craig Clemons, associate athletic director for external affairs and development. “Despite a modest increase in last year’s ticket price and donor seating, our season ticket holder base increased by 1,000 new Cowboy fans. Consequently, as our football program continues to improve, we are on track to strengthen our overall financial position relative to the other members of the Big 12 Conference.”
The complete 2008 home schedule includes visits by Houston, Missouri State, Troy, Texas A&M, Baylor (Homecoming), Iowa State and Oklahoma.
Single-game ticket prices have also been established for 2008. General public ticket prices are $60 for non-conference games and $85 for the available Big 12 games. There will be no single-game tickets available for the Bedlam game on Thanksgiving weekend.
“Our decision to eliminate single game tickets for Bedlam is based upon our desire to grow our season ticket sales,” Holder said. “Iowa State did this last year, with the Iowa game being played in Ames, and increased its season ticket sales from around 30,000 to 36,000. Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans’ commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball on an annual basis. Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU Athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”
Q and A On Season Tickets
How can I go to the OU game without a season ticket?The only way to attend the Bedlam game in person is to be a Cowboy season ticket holder.
Why are there no individual tickets to the OU game?Oklahoma State is making a concerted effort to increase season ticket sales. Iowa State took the same approach with its rival game against Iowa. The Cyclones saw a 30 percent increase in season ticket holders. Season ticket sales for football and basketball represent the financial backbone of the athletic program. Increases in season ticket holders will help us become more financially competitive within the Big 12, which bodes well for all sports. While some empty seats may be the case in the short term, expansion of our overall fan base will allow us to grow into the west end zone. The additional seating now makes Boone Pickens Stadium the sixth largest facility in the Big 12 Conference.
How Can I Pay For My Season Ticket?OSU will continue to offer a variety of ways to pay for your season ticket, including spreading the payments over a five-month period. The payment plan is growing in popularity.
When can I purchase a season ticket?Requests can be made at any time. They will be fulfilled following the May 1 renewal deadline.
Where can I purchase a season ticket?Visit www.okstate.com and click on tickets. In person, you can stop by the OSU Ticket Office in the East Lobby of the Athletic Center. By phone, call 877-ALL-4-OSU. Office hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday. The ticket office can also be reached at tickets@okstate.edu.
Staley’s “50-50″ announcement
By Mike Baldwin
Staff Writer
Kye Staley said Sunday night he is “50-50″ between OSU and Arkansas following a weekend visit to Fayetteville. After committing to the Cowboys way back in August, why the sudden turnabout? Only Staley knows for certain. Bottom line is Staley says he will ponder all his options this week before he reaches a decision next Sunday.
My hunch, only a hunch, is there’s a strong chance Staley is waiting to see where De’Anthony Curtis signs before reaching a decision. Curtis is the No. 6 ranked running back in the country. If Curtis were to sign with the Cowboys it wouldn’t be shocking to see Staley go to Arkansas since OSU also has signed junior college All-American running back Beau Johnson. If Curtis signs with the Razorbacks it would definitely improve OSU’s chances of Staley staying closer to home.
Trooper addresses Texas rumor
By Mike Baldwin
Staff Writer
Tennessee sportswriters promised Trooper Taylor, OSU’s new co-offensive coordinator, would be a quote gold mine, an assistant coach the media would love. They were right. Taylor was on the road assisting OSU’s recruiting efforts his first two weeks on the job. Finally given a chance to interview him on Friday, Taylor more than met expectations.
Taylor’s response to a rumor that Texas coach Mack Brown tried to sway him to join his program days after having a hand shake deal with OSU coach Mike Gundy, was an indication of Taylor’s honesty and his ability to give the media a good quote.
“It was flattering (Texas was interested) but coach Gundy and I, and what we’re trying to get done here…,” Taylor said, stopping in mid-sentence. “To me if you chase two rabbits you’re not going to catch either one of them. Once you focus and set your mind on something you can’t let things distract you even though it might sound greener or some people think it’s better.”
Taylor said Art Briles, Baylor’s new coach, visited him and his family in Knoxville and offered the offensive coordinator at his alma mater. Taylor turned them down.
”The reason was I had already experienced that,” Taylor said. “I was there as an assistant. I was there as a player… They put a real good package together. But for me I had already experienced that. I wanted to come and see something different. I feel that helps you grow as a coach and a person.”
Keiton Page watch
Andrea Cohen
Went to Tonkawa last night to watch Oklahoma State signee Keiton Page. I was told afterward by everybody — the guy sitting next to me, the woman keeping the scorebook, Keiton himself — that the point guard played a bad game. Could have fooled me. He had 44 points and 10 assists. Tonight the Pawnee senior should become the fifth-ever Oklahoma high school basketball player to score 3,000 points. It would take him about half his average to get there.
Men’s basketball: Texas A&M at Oklahoma State
* TV: ESPN (Cox 29)
* Radio: KXXY-FM 96.1
Quick Notes
* Oklahoma State is playing its second of four-consecutive games on ESPN. In fact, OSU is currently in the midst of five ESPN-televised games in six contests.
* Monday night will mark the eighth of 13 games this season televised by either ESPN, espn2 or ABC.
* OSU has won 18 of its last 22 games against Big 12 South Division foes inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.
* OSU is 9-1 at home this season, allowing just 56.2 points per game. Opponents are shooting just 24.5 percent from beyond the three-point arc in those 10 games.
* The Cowboys have a +5.5 turnover margin in Gallagher-Iba Arena this season. The opponents are averaging 21 turnovers per game on Eddie Sutton Court.
* With 161 steals, junior guard Byron Eaton is just 10 away from becoming the all-time career steals leader in school history. Ivan McFarlin is the current record holder with 170 steals from 2001-05.
* Despite a 1-3 record in league play, the Cowboys still have a positive scoring margin against Big 12 games. OSU is averaging 68 points and allowing 67.5 per game.
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